Monday, January 8

Greetings...

Well, here is the first attempt at keeping in contact. I cannot open
any blogs here right now for some reason, but I am attempting to
update via email.

We are doing well. God is as always amazingly faithful. Having Steven,
Lauren, and Justin here for a week was a superior blessing than we
could have imagined. Lauren helped Amber get unpacked, organized, and
settled as much as possible in a week's time. Steven and Justin were
able to go with me to the IOI prayer time and other ministry
opportunities that God is apparently opening up. We were able to all
have fellowship together during their time here which is what Amber
and I miss the most while here.

I have a follow up meeting today, Monday Jan. 8, in the afternoon with
some denominational leaders about specific ways to train ministers,
especially those willing to go among the 88% un-evangelized in this
country. Also, we plan on Saturday night, to begin a weekly meeting
and dinner at our home for our friends here. This is really a
continuation from before, however we are planning to implement an
expositional bible study. (First Peter of course)

Our neighbor directly across the street is a believer and came by to
welcome us back earlier in the week. He suggested we begin a bible
study for the believers in the village here. So, please pray with us
concerning this. His wife will give birth within the month and we want
to take advantage of this opportunity from the Lord as soon as
possible after her delivery.

We attended church on Sunday at a place where we had really high
expectations based on a connection that this church has with one
denomination in the USA. We were disappointed to put it mildly. Over
an hour of concert style music, followed by half an hour of stand-up
comedy/TV preaching with a dozen rounds of applause and a score of
outbursts of laughter. This is a concern for us as you may imagine.
Please pray that God would grant clear guidance as far as where we
should gather corporately each week. We want to plant ourselves
somewhere, we long for that. But it is extremely difficult to just
'settle' when we imagine that there is somewhere that would be most
pleasing to God for us to attend regularly.

Thank you all for praying for us in all these things.
We have the utmost confidence that we serve a God who cares and hears.
So, beat down a path to the mercy seat, and petition Him on our behalf.